| Law enforcement in New York |
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| Law enforcement in |
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| Types of agencies |
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| New York State Criminal Procedure Law |
There are forty-five local police agencies in Westchester County, New York. In recent years, rising economic costs have spurred some smaller communities to consolidate or contract their police services with other agencies.
Westchester County Department of Public Safety was created in 1979 through the merger of the Westchester County Sheriff's Office with the Westchester County Parkway Police. The Westchester County Police provide primary law enforcement services for county-owned parks, parkways, and facilities. They also patrol the Town of Mount Kisco and supplement patrol along with the New York State Police for the Town of Cortlandt. The Department is the fourth largest law enforcement agency in Westchester County.
In 2010, then-Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced a plan to merge the county departments of Public Safety and Emergency Services. [1] As of 2021 [update] , these departments remain separate, and the plan appears to have been abandoned. [2]
The following departments are responsible for primary law enforcement in their respective jurisdictions.
The City of Rye and Village of Mamaroneck employs seasonal bay constables who serve as peace officers. Constables patrol areas of Long Island Sound and enforce state, local maritime, environmental, fish, and wildlife laws. Bay constables are licensed armed peace officers as per NYS CPL 2.10(18). [8]
Several municipalities in Westchester have auxiliary police units which contain volunteers who are trained peace officers and assist their police departments with special events, traffic control, crowd control and patrol under the supervision of full time police officers. Auxiliary police officers derive their authority through NYS CPL 2.10(26) and only have the powers of peace officers pursuant to the provisions of the New York State defense emergency act during a period of attack or imminent attack by enemy forces or while combating natural or man made disasters. [8]
The Public Safety Emergency Force (PSEF) is a volunteer unit within the Westchester County Department of Public Safety. [9] Members of the PSEF are appointed as part-time Deputy Sheriffs by the Commissioner/Sheriff and have full peace officer powers when activated pursuant to New York State criminal procedure law section 2.10 Subdivision 57a. [8] All Members are provided with equipment including a county-issued handgun, which is registered on their pistol license with a PSEF ON Duty Only Restriction stamped on it.
